Bilawal Bhutto condoles demise of former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee

ISLAMABAD: PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed his sincere condolences on the death of former Prime Minister of India Atal Behari Vajpayee.

"Prime Minister Vajpayee’s efforts towards establishing an atmosphere of trust between India and Pakistan will be his lasting legacy,"Bilawal said, hoping that India’s current leadership exhibits similar intentions and commitment towards sustainable peace in South Asia.

Three-time Indian prime minister died on Thursday, sparking tributes from across the political spectrum as current leader Narendra Modi mourned the "irreplaceable loss" of the respected statesman.

The 93-year-old had battled poor health for years but his condition deteriorated sharply in recent days, with doctors placing him on life support.

The sudden turn sparked a flurry of visits from top dignitaries, including Modi, who credited Vajpayee with laying the foundations for the meteoric rise of the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that rules India today.

"Atal Ji´s passing away is a personal and irreplaceable loss for me," Modi said in a tweet Thursday, using a Hindi-language honorific.

"It was Atal Ji´s exemplary leadership that set the foundations for a strong, prosperous and inclusive India in the 21st century.

"It was due to the perseverance and struggles of Atal Ji that the BJP was built brick by brick."

Vajpayee was being treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, where he was admitted nine weeks ago.